The zoo in Kiev / Ukraine plans to build a new dolphinarium! This would be the second Dolphinarium in Kiev!

THIS MUST ABSOLUTELY BE PREVENTED!

During our dolphin research, we found catastrophic conditions for the dolphins in the first Dolphinarium "Nemo" in Kiev, in early February 2012. All four dolphins are catched from the wild and originate from Taiji/Japan!

ProWal received the assurance of the Deputy Environment Minister, Igor Vildman in February, that the Government of the Ukraine targets an import ban for wild caughted dolphins like the EU arrangements. The operators of the dolphinariums have heard about and now they try to build new dolphinariums and to import wild dolphins as soon as possible.

At 15 march Kiev authority will decide the question about a new dolphinarium.

PLEASE SEND THE FOLLOWING TEXT OR A OWN LETTER TO THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITIES AND MINISTRIES ADDRESSES:

I learned by horror of the plans that a new dolphinarium will built in the zoo in Kiev and that you will decide whether the dolphinarium will be built or not on 15th of March 2012.

I am addressing this letter to you personally and ask you to reject the application for a new dolphinarium in the zoo in Kiev.

Reason:

Dolphins are very social animals that live in the sea in large groups, the so-called dolphin pots. The animals have an enormous motor activity and covering in the wild daily distances of more than 50 kilometers and they can dive in the sea also up to 500 meters deep.

An animal- and species-friendly keeping of marine mammals in captivity is not possible because the most elementary basic needs are taken away from the dolphins. A dolphinarium can never substitute the wild.

The animals are exposed day and night to the noise of the pumps, which are cleaning the water in dolphinariums. To the disinfection of the water chlorine is used in large quantities. This causes direct health consequences for the animals. The corrosive chlorine damages the sensitive skin and the eyes of the dolphins.

Beside numerous whistling sounds, to the notification together, dolphins control the application of ultrasonic tones for the echolocation. In dolphinariums sound their own tone back from the concrete walls. The sonar system of the dolphins collapses in the closed tanks and this important sense atrophied almost completely in captivity.

The captivity, the loneliness, the food and the monotony let the animals suffer physically and emotionally. Their life expectancy in dolphinariums is significantly lower than in their natural habitat. As causes of death there are often pneumonia, liver damage and stomach ulcers.

The worldwide known marine scientist Jacques Yves Cousteau has even watched a dolphin living in captivity because he did not endure the life in such a concrete tank any more.

Regarding the issue dolphins in captivity, a “substantial jerk” is gone through Europe in the last years, as you may have heard. Among the people in the EU and other Western countries there are a great aversion against facilities in which marine mammals are kept in captivity.

In Western Europe dolphinariums are things of the past. Presently in 13 EU member states (Great Britain which has closed all its 30 dolphinariums, Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Austria, Pole, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czechia, Hungary and Cyprus) no dolphinarium operates.

In many countries a clear trend towards closing of the dolphinariums is noticeable due to the refusal of the population because of the education campaigns of animal welfare organizations and the documentary film awarded with an Oscar "The Cove".

Everywhere the people go on the streets and protest against dolphinariums and demand their closing because of animal cruelty. This also happens in your country.

The following short film shows how the owner of "Nemo Kiev," Mr. Kislovskiy, dealing with the criticism of protesters:

The German animal protection organization ProWal visited several "Nemo-dolphinariums" in Ukraine in early February and was able to get an idea how this company deals with the sensitive and highly intelligent dolphins.

The "Nemo-dolphinariums" offer commercial dolphin shows to the visitors, which are like circus performances where this intelligent marine mammals have to demonstrate silly tricks. The animals were brought to heel with hunger and the positive training (reward) and they are forced to unnatural behavior (balls balance, plastic discs retrieve, rings juggle and jump by obstacles). The representations of the "Romantic shows" are absolutely unacceptable on Saturday evening. Directly on the edge of the dolphin tank fireworks are lighted, while a fire-eater with stinking paraffin pollutes the air. There are also programs such as "swimming and diving with dolphins" and dolphin therapy which is by science classified as non-successful.

In the small round tanks (diameter of 20 meters – depth of four meters) the dolphins can swim only monotonously in endless circles - if a dolphin wanted to swim at least one minute straight ahead, it would assume a pool length of 800 to 900 meters.

Most dolphins have deep scratches because they are attacked by other conspecifics by ranking fights. For the animals there are no retreading pools.

Often the dolphins hit with their flukes on the water. This is a sign for how aggressive the animals are. Visitors often parents with children to whom the swimming with dolphins or the so-called dolphin therapy are offered are exposed to great dangers and risks.

Direct contacts between humans and dolphins in captivity from both sides put a significant risk of illness or injury by the transference of bacteria. Shoes and hands of the visitors which the animals can also touch are not disinfected. In every "Nemo-Delfinarium" it is usual that the trainers stand disrespectfully on the dolphins and surf on them trough the water. They also position themselves on the snouts of the marine mammals and so they accept considerable injuries for the animals. The music during the performances is immensely loud, comparable to a discotheque. Dolphins can hear ten times better than a human being while still perceive frequencies that the human ear cannot hear. This causes constant stress for the dolphins.

The four dolphins "Skipper", "Boatswain", "Dory" and "Nelly" of "Nemo dolphinarium" in Kiev are wild caught and are all from the Japanese fishing village of Taiji. Marine mammals are caught there for the world wide dolphin industry and the animals which can not used for this are slaughtered. Only the sale of beautiful dolphins for unit prices of up to 150,000,- USD makes these dolphin hunts lucrative at all. The meat of a dead dolphin is sold by the fishermen for 600 USD for the Japanese market. Worldwide, the dolphin drive hunts, the slaughter and sale of animals to the dolphinarium industry will be sharply criticized.

The Ukraine and in particular the company "Nemo" are directly responsible for atrocities in Japan!

Dear Sir or Madam,

The dolphins, who holds "Nemo" in captivity, have experienced unimaginable horrors in their lives and they are now exploited up to their death for purely commercial interests. Do not allow that a company spreads in your country, which supports the hunting of these animals and brings the image of the whole Ukraine worldwide in discredit!

By the way the company "Nemo" offends against Article 7, 8 and 25 of the Ukrainian Law "to protect animals from cruel treatment."

as you certainly know, the breeding efforts of dolphins have failed in the Ukraine. During the last 15 years there were only 10 dolphin births in captivity in the Ukraine. How many animals from them are still alive is not known. In February 2012 a total of 74 dolphins in the Ukrainian dolphinariums were housed, which confirms that the majority of the animals are wild caught.

A sustainable breeding is neither in Ukraine nor in Europe. In 40 years of European breeding efforts no sustainable stock could be built up till this day. There are no dolphins in Europe, who live in the third Generation.

The Ukraine seeks the EU membership which require many and great needs. In the EU Member States, for example, there are regulations that prohibit dolphin catches and imports of wild-caught dolphins.

It is very commendable that Ukraine has already made important and correct steps to protect the dolphins.

All species of dolphins found in Ukraine are protected by the Red Book of Ukraine, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Red Book of the Black Sea, and the Convention on the Protection of Cetaceans. The Law of Ukraine «On the Red Book of Ukraine» prohibits their use and catching in business purposes. The Special Moratorium of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Ukraine bans removing them from their native environment till 2011. International trade of dolphins is subject to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The vice minister of the environment of the Ukraine, Mr. Igor Vildman decribed himself as the “friend No. 1 for the dolphins in the Ukraine” in a conversation with ProWal at 02/03/2012. ProWal was assured by Mr. Vildman that the Government of Ukraine will implement the requirements for the import of wild caught dolphins of the EU. In addition the prohibition of capturing dolphins in the Black Sea will be extended for three years from this point and continuously. In the future it will make it unable to import wild-caught dolphins from other countries to Ukraine and to catch dolphins in the Black Sea.

Every new building of a dolphinarium is to be rejected because today it is quite foreseeable that these facilities won’t get no more wild caught dolphins in future.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I ask you urgently to reject the building application of a new dolphinarium in the zoo Kiev in the 3/15/2012.

Just in view of the upcoming European Soccer Championship you can personally demonstrate to the world that beside the sport, the Ukraine have a heart for the animals.

Prove also that corruption will not tolerated any longer in your country, while you show no consideration for the fact that the brother of the Nemo owner Mr. Michael Kuchuk is employed with the city administration Kiev.

I can assure you that on the 15th of March not only I, but a worldwide attention will take note of your important decision.